The Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website is dedicated to the preservation, memory, honor, and history of the late Audie L. Murphy, America's most decorated combat soldier of World War II and famous movie star.

Murphy earned and received every decoration for valor that this country had to offer plus 5 decorations presented to him by France and Belgium. He appeared or starred in 44 films too. Tragically, he died in an airplane accident in 1971.

At the time of Audie Murphy's death, a troubled America seemed uninterested. When Audie Murphy's body was discovered his incredible life was given a combined total of 1 minute and 30 seconds of coverage by the major television news networks ABC, CBS, and NBC. Over the years, the media's interest in Audie Murphy has waned more and more to the point where only an annual local mention of a hometown celebration commemorating the hero's life might be published.

This website was founded in November 1996 by a teacher and donated to the Audie Murphy Research Foundation, a licensed non-profit, public benefit organization.

Among the reasons for developing the website was a growing concern that the memory of Audie was beginning to fade and that he would be forgotten. In some cases distorted and inaccurate accounts of Audie Murphy's life were being published and reprinted. Unfortunately, those who knew him best and could set the record straight, including close friends, military comrades, and immediate family members have rapidly passed away over time.

Sadly, the digital age may have accelerated the erosion of interest in Audie Murphy. Reliable newspapers and other news sources are rapidly failing at an alarming rate. Television news programming has become more concerned with ratings than facts. Supermarket tabloids, a staple for many consumers, are more focused on creating news instead of reporting it. Digital books and Internet websites can be self-written and published by anyone without regard to research, documentation, cites, or truth.

Or are they? Since his death, interest in Audie's life and accomplishments seem to be slowly growing. Audie Murphy's movies are watched regularly on many movie channels by a large viewing audience. In 1986, the U.S. Army created a very popular professional institution named the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. It has an enormous following and is still growing. In 2000, the U.S. Postal service buckled under worldwide public pressure to issue a commemorative stamp in Audie's honor despite years of officially refusing to do so.

On October 29, 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry, under heavy pressure from voters, fans, and admirers world wide, posthumously awarded the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Audie Murphy. Evening television news interest for the award was much stronger than the coverage given to Murphy's death (see inset news video link).

And today a heavily supported petition is being circulated among fans, veterans, voters, decorated heros, Hollywood movie stars, and elected leaders. The petition requests that the United States President award Audie Murphy the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The basis for the award is Murphy's outspoken and pioneering efforts to get the Federal Government to recognize and improve treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for all military veterans.

It is our desire that this website become a collection of accurate and authentic resources children can learn from. We hope that adults will reacquaint themselves with an important part of their past. We seek to document a great American hero before he is forgotten. In doing so, we hope visitors will reflect on all of those who have fought, sacrificed, and died, past and present, for our freedom.